Salvation Army to open emergency homeless shelter at fairgrounds in Lewis County
The Salvation Army and Lewis County Public Health & Social Services (LCPHSS) will open an emergency homeless shelter at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in Chehalis, LCPHSS announced Tuesday.
The shelter, inside the Blue Gate off South Gold Street, will provide beds for as many as 50 people during the COVID-19 outbreak starting Wednesday, according to a county press release.
The beds are available by appointment only and can be booked through Coordinated Entry by calling 360-736-5140. Some services also will be available during the day, according to the county.
“It is critical that persons without a home can seek shelter during the COVID-19 outbreak,” LCPHSS Housing Coordinator Meja Handlen said in a prepared statement. “The Salvation Army shelter project expands the county’s capacity to serve those individuals and help stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Funding for the shelter will come from a state Department of Commerce emergency housing grant, according to the county press release. The Olympian asked the county how much it will cost but has not yet received an answer.
As of Tuesday, LCPHSS had reported 19 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lewis County, with two deaths.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 9:37 AM.
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